2022–2026 electoral district map
2022 Electoral District of Flinders (PDF, 1.63MB)
Features of the district
Location
This large rural district stretches from the Eyre Peninsula which it incorporates, along the Great Australian Bight to the border with Western Australia. The area is known for its commercial and recreational fishing and aquaculture industries, in addition to mixed grain production and livestock land.
Area
Approximately 221,674.1 km2
Localities
Flinders incorporates the City of Port Lincoln and the District Councils of Ceduna, Cleve, Elliston, Franklin Harbour, Kimba, Lower Eyre Peninsula, Streaky Bay, Tumby Bay and Wudinna, the Local Government Area of Maralinga Tjarutja, as well as a portion of the Pastoral Unincorporated Area which includes the localities of Fowlers Bay, Nullarbor and Yalata.
History
Flinders was a district for the Legislative Councils of 1851-1856. It was one of the original 17 state electorates created in 1856 and effective at the first elections held for a bicameral parliament in South Australia in 1857. It is the only district to have survived in name continuously through to the present day.
Origin of the name
The district is named after Captain Matthew Flinders, RN (1774–1814) who made the first charts of the Australian coast and promoted the name Australia. In mid–1801 Flinders set out from England in the vessel ‘Investigator’ and surveyed the southern coastline of Australia. On his voyage back to England he was detained on the island of Mauritius for six years and finally returned home in 1810.
Key boundary changes following the 2020 redistribution
Flinders gains the District Council of Franklin Harbour (incorporating localities including Cowell, Lucky Bay and Port Gibbon) and the District Council of Kimba (incorporating localities that include Kimba, Solomon and Yalanda). Flinders also gains the Local Government Area of Maralinga Tjarutja (including the locality of Oak Valley) as well as a portion of the Pastoral Unincorporated Area (incorporating the remainder of the localities of Gawler Ranges, Lockes Claypan, Mitchidy Moola, Nullarbor, Pinkawillinie, Pureba and Yellabinna).
For full details see the 2020 Report of the Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission (PDF, 1.6MB)
Representation and results
| Member | Affiliation | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Edward J Craigie | IND | 1938–1941 |
| Rex W Pearson | LCL | 1941–1951 |
| Glen G Pearson | LCL | 1951–1970 |
| John A. Carnie | LCL | 1970–1973 |
| Peter D. Blacker | CP/NAT | 1973–1993 |
| Elizabeth M. Penfold | LIB | 1993–2010 |
| Peter A. Treloar | LIB | 2010–2022 |
| Samuel (Sam) Telfer | LIB | 2022–present |